Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-01-27
OUR PICNIC.
BY JANET wITFKAMP.

Matilda and I decided to give fami-
ly picnic. We also decided, at least
Matilda did, that we would have no
men. AS she very Justly remarked,
the young ones went off sparkling, and
the old ones slept, and they only APP
peared at dinner time to CONSUME
double their share of provisions. They
were continually proposing some other
way, and were, on such occasions, noth-
ing but nuisance. We would do with
out them. She also concluded to take
the hired girl to mind the baby; so the
party consisted of Matilda, myself, the
hired girl, the baby, the twins aged
eight, and Janette, my namesake, aged
ten. Motto be too select also invited
the two young ladies opposite and the
other two next door. They were quite
enthusiastic at first, but when they heard
there were to be no men their enthusi-
asm died out, and on the eventful
morning two had headachs and the
other two severe colds. So the party was
reduced to the original number. Now
lam no longer very young and in
cline to fesh-my weight is about two
hundred--but my heart is youthful and
my feelings poetical, and at the last
moment said to Matilda: "Don't let
us go to the Park-the picnic grounds
are always occupied and the guards
watch you continually. Let us go to
some retired spot outside the city limits
where we can commune with nature
and alone"
Matilda demurred at first, but when 1
told her that Fernieglade was on the
x. @. G. railroaid, the fare little more
than to the park, and she could proba-
BILE collect any number of ferns without
being molested by guards, she consent
ed. For Matilda has exquisite taste.
All the embroidered notices in the
front parlor are in frames made and
adorned with her own hand, and the
amount of decoration she can do with
ferns Is wonderful. Well, we started
on blazing July day, and were put off
at Fernieglade station, which was only a
long platform covered with barrels and
boxes. No glade was to be seen, but on
either side were high banks of ugly red
clay, up one of which ran ziz-zag path.
"Where is the glen, my good man" l
said to an old fellow who was lounging
against one of the barrels. "Don't
know ofany glen, Ma'am." But sure
ly there are woods and streams and
ferns somewhere near, or why should
the place be called Fernieglade?"
"Well, you see, ma'am, they're
trying to sell ground for building lots
hereabouts, and Fernieglade's pretty
name that takes. If you climb that
there bank and walk half a mile you'll
find some woods" Matilda looked at
me severely. "When does the next
train for the city stop here"' mot for
three hours, num-" BY this time the
sun was scorching our brains out, and
the baby was shrieking in such fear
full manner that expected every min
ute to see him in fits. "Janetta," said
Matilda in voice that strove to be
calm, 1--WE can not stay here three hours
in this town-we must make for the
woods, but if anything happens my
children, you are responsible, She start.
ed up the zlg-zag path carrying her ba.
by. The girl followed shaking his rat.
tie and attempting to pacify him with
baby talk. Then came little Janetta
carrying school atlas and bundle Of
newspapers in which to preserve the
ferns. The twins, with the basket Of
pleasing, no doubt, to themselves, but
uCSI1 uCIlUiC w JLlS CUutcuISs IA lOIIB
swing backward, and a dump on the
ground. toiled slowly and sadly af
ter them. At last we reached the tor
and pleasure prospect stretched before
us. Gently slOping fields lay on eithel
side the road ready for harvest; but
alas, the road to the woods was up hill
and the half mile looked very, very
long one. Westopped farmer in thu
field-could he tell us of any shady
place where we could picnic withou
going to the woods? He looked at tn,
boys obviously, then at the screaming
baby. "Well, ma'am, if you'll keel
them boys out of my grain, you can g
to the far field-it's pasture ground ant
there's some trees there" We thank
ed him gratefully and hurried on. Th,
star field" commenced at the top o
the hill, up which we were climbing
and sloped gradually down on the 9th
er side to the woods. At the bottom
ran tiny stream, and on its bank stoo,
an old dairy-house dismantled and ev
identity unused. At the top of the hill
were several old oaks under which W
sat down-and half way down the hil
was an old gnarled apple tree witt
branches almost touching the ground
The baby was quieted and fell asleep
the dinner basket emptied of its con
tents. The children had gone down t.
the woods to gather ferns, and Matild;
her good temper restored, had discussed
various matters in her usual tone o
voice. The breeze played gentl
around my temples-the murmur O
the brook the happy laughter of tn
children7-came softly to my earl fel
asleep. was awakened by a shriel
from Matilda, "Janett, the bull, tn
bullW Istruggled to my feet. Their
was the dreadful creature half throug1
the break in the hedge. AS I rose /
shook its head up and down and bel
lowed in fearful manner. :" Run"
cried to Matilda; ''run to the sprin
house, I had read of keeping a will
animal at bay by opening and shuttin
an umbrella. / picked up my parasC
and opened and shut 1t violently mum
Der of times. It was red, and shot wit
old gold, and in the bright sunligh
must of had a dazzling effect--at an
rate the brute drew, back his head ,
looked around and found that Matild
and the children were safe in tn
spring-house; then I started down my
self. But it is needless to say canno
run very fast, and halfway down
stopped to .reconnoiter. Alas! tn
dreadful creature had broken boldl